DBD International, headed by David Brier, Google's #1 rebranding expert and bestselling author

Write the follow-up to Brand Intervention, also an Amazon #1 bestseller.

🚀 My new book is officially here—and it’s already making waves.  

Just a couple of days ago, **RICH BRAND POOR BRAND: How to Unleash Your David in a World of Goliaths** hit the shelves, and within HOURS, it became:  
🎯 **#1 in New Releases**  
🎯 **#1 Bestseller on Amazon**  

This isn’t just another book—it’s a movement.  

As the follow-up to my bestselling *Brand Intervention,* this book is a game-changer for founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs who want more than a good brand—they want a **rich brand.**  

With a foreword by Claude Silver of VaynerX and insights from legends like Warren Buffett, Sara Blakely, Gary Vaynerchuk, Brené Brown, and even Billy Joel, this is a masterclass in building a thriving brand culture.  

Here’s why this book matters:  

🔑 **Rich Brand Poor Brand** unveils the secret sauce to crafting a brand that leads, inspires, and lasts.  

🔑 It’s packed with stunning visuals and a 46-page **Rich Brand Poor Brand Playbook** full of real-world transformations.  

💡 So, what’s a rich brand?  
It’s NOT about size, industry, or location.  
It’s about CULTURE—the oxygen your company breathes.  

The simple truth:  
👉 Your brand lives *out there,* but it comes to life *in here*—with your people, your values, and your story.  

This isn’t just a book; it’s a call to action.  

🗓 If you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, now’s the time.  

Join the revolution and discover why Daymond John called it:  
**“Genius.”**  

💬 “Your brand lives out there. But it comes to life in here.”  

Get your copy now, and let’s start building brands that truly matter.  

Because brilliance isn’t just a goal—it’s the standard.

Author: RICH BRAND POOR BRAND

Insatiable urge to help brands defy gravity to achieve brand elevation to avoid the "6 feet under" program that goes with brand deflation

Chief Gravity Defyer

As the recipient of over 300 industry awards, I am the Creative Director of DBD International whose job it is to help brands defy gravity and rise above the noise. 

Areas of specialization include:
     • Brand analysis
     • Brand strategy
     • Name and slogan development
     • Logo design
     • Package design
     • Destination branding
     • Tourism branding
     • Lifestyle brand design and execution
     • Brand revitalization
     • Brand rollout campaigns

Under my direction, clients across the US and internationally have seen the power of design and its ability to help products, events and services rise above the noise. In addition to writing widely published articles, David has authored of a number of books on design and typography along with many articles covering branding, packaging, design and what it means to change the world, one brand at a time.

President/Creative Director

Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

• Global keynote speaking engagements on Branding, Rebranding, and Startup Strategy, reaching audiences worldwide.
• Generated over $7 billion in sales through impactful presentations on Disruption, Category Creation, and Brand Strategy.
• Leveraged expertise to inspire and educate audiences on the power of effective brand storytelling and strategy.

Keynote Speaker

Do This Instead Newsletter

Join 7,000+ followers of Do This Instead for actionable branding insights and case studies from someone who has actually done it, generating over $7b in revenue for companies of all sizes.

Writer

Brand Intervention : 33 Steps to Transform the Brand You Have into the Brand You Need

Brand Intervention, 33 Steps to Transform The Brand You Have into the Brand You Need, is the first book written for CEOs, entrepreneurs, brands, and startups that don't have time to read a book on branding.  
You and your brand are a revolution waiting to happen. This book was written to provide the tools to get your brand seen, heard, and ready to change the world written and designed by award-winning brand expert and rebranding specialist David Brier, the recipient of over 325 international awards and ranked #3 worldwide for branding by Klout.

This is why David Brier wrote and designed Brand Intervention.  

It doesn't read like any other book. It's faster.  

Inside, it doesn't look like any other book on branding. It's shows instead of tells. 

It is full-color throughout, with 290 pages of straight talk on marketing and branding for real. You find out what triggers sales, turning buyers into loyal fans.  

Taken from over 30 years of building global brands, regional brands, local brands and startups, this is a no-holds-barred, no-punches-pulled, fat-free compilation of master brander David Brier's gems. 

This may explain why Daymond John, New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Broke, FUBU founder and star of ABC's Shark Tank, wrote the Foreword to this new book and why New York Times bestselling author of The 10X Rule and sales expert Grant Cardone calls Brier "a branding genius" (both Daymond and Grant are Amazon bestsellers in their own right). 

David and his work have been featured in ADWEEK, Forbes, INC, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, Communication Arts, How magazine, the New York Times and numerous blogs and podcasts.  
David is also the recipient of the Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion, a rare honor amongst business leaders, presented to those who provide insights to entrepreneurs and startups for leadership, marketing, entrepreneurial innovation, and branding excellence. 

Award-winning Author

David Brier Design Works

A design firm specializing in logo design and graphic design packages.

Owner/Founder

I TURN IDEAS INTO BRANDS, EXITS & LEGACIES. 🚀 Slayer of the Mundane 🚀 Author of the #1 Amazon bestseller “BRAND INTERVENTION” responsible for $7B in sales

Ads burn money. A great brand prints it. 

I rebuild brands from the ground up—strategy, story, design, and architecture—so you stop fighting for attention and start commanding it.

I help growth-focused companies sharpen their identity, own their story, and build a brand that scales—without the ad waste.

After building brands for Revlon, Estee Lauder, Jim Henson, and others, I quit.

I have no time for indecision and being a layer or two away from gold.

The first billion-dollar brand I built started out with zero sales, and just a really driven founder.

His vision was about shaping an idea into an empire. It was about watching a dream soar.

It's why I love branding. 

I've done the same for a nonprofit, helping generate over $250K in 30 minutes.
Done the same with a city, I rebranded: a 500% increase in tourism in 12 months.

I have done the same for a dog food company, a cybersecurity company, a motorcycle startup, and a beauty brand, and I turned an expedition camper company into a multi-million dollar company in 24 months (during the pandemic).

Branding is like being an explorer, a detective, and a magician all at once: each day is a new adventure.

When I’m brought in to help build a company, I don’t offer a silver bullet. 

I offer a branding arsenal. Forged in the fires of countless campaigns, refined by failures, and validated by successes.

And the most crucial shift during my career? I used to tell stories. Now, I craft legacies. 

Branding is about the imprint we leave behind in the sands of time and the minds of consumers.

It's why I wrote BRAND INTERVENTION, an Amazon #1 bestseller.

That's why I wrote the follow-up, RICH BRAND POOR BRAND, How to Unleash Your David in a World of Goliaths.

It's why the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center has me as one of their speakers.

If you love uncovering the irresistible - that secret sauce that rockets CEOs and their businesses to new heights, subscribe to my newsletter: https://risingabovethenoise.com/landing/modern-brand-secrets/

If you're ready to:

~ be a rebel in a world of conformists, and 
~ feel that magic isn't in the budget but in the belief that we can rewrite the rules...

Let's jump on a discovery call https://DavidBrierCalendar.as.me/IntroductorySession

David Brier

340,000 followers didn't make Jasmin Alić dangerous.

His refusal to outsource his humanity to AI did.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽:
"LinkedIn Powerhouse Reveals 'The AI Tool Nobody Is Using' to Win in 2026"
If you caught the LinkedIn Live event, there’s gold there. 

What wasn’t in the episode? 
5 exact action items that will impact 
how you’re seen. And how fast you grow in 2026.

𝟱 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀:

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 #𝟭 → 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 "𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰"
Every guru preaches authenticity.
Then uses the same ChatGPT prompts.
Jasmin averages 1,000 comments being ACTUAL.
(𝘞𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬)

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 #𝟮 → 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲
2024: Noise
2025: Avalanche 
2026: Extinction
Your "unique voice" = 47 other brands.
(𝘞𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘱𝘴𝘦)

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 #𝟯 → 𝗪𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Stop asking AI to write FOR you.
Start using it to reveal your DIFFERENCE.
Winners will sound so real, AI studies them.
(𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨)

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 #𝟰 → 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 > 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿
$9B taught me one thing:
Never sold "better."
Only sold "different."
(𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴)

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 #𝟱 → 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘀 > 𝗟𝗼𝗴𝗼𝘀
Jasmin's booked solid.
Zero sales posts.
Just weaponized failures.
(𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵-𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 $𝟵𝗕 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲:

The most advanced AI strategy isn't automation.
It's being stubbornly HUMAN.

Hit 2026 with impact: 
I’ll drop it tomorrow morning. Free to subscribers. 

Get the full newsletter breakdown in your inbox:
 https://lnkd.in/g2zqk58P

P.S. Have an amazing Friday.

♻️ REPOST to help restore humanity in the marketplace

$9bn+ in sales. Make your brand a magnet, not a money pit. I build brands that customers crave. If you're done wasting ad dollars, let's talk.

Cadbury made a shopkeeper break an unspoken rule.

Then, it broke records, hitting 75% of households.

Cadbury didn't innovate the chocolate bar.
They innovated the reason to buy one. 
Here's how:

A little girl walks into a shop.
Two buttons and a toy in her hand.
Wants to buy mom a birthday chocolate.

The shopkeeper could've said no.
Instead, he took the buttons she offered.

60 seconds of footage.
9% sales increase.
75% household penetration.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗢𝗜

While you're A/B testing button colors,
Cadbury tested human decency.

While you're optimizing click-through rate,
They optimized for tears.

While you're measuring impressions,
They measured goosebumps.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 $𝟵𝗕 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗜 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲

𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀: Sell chocolate
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: Sell permission to be kind

𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀: Create ads
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: Create moments

𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀: Target demographics
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: Target humanity

This is the difference I inject into every rebrand I do.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱

• Scored in the 1st percentile for emotional resonance
• IPA Gold Effectiveness Award winner
• 36% increase in brand recommendation

Not because they had better chocolate.
Because they understood something deeper:

Chocolate might melt in your hands.
Empathy makes US melt. Period.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰

Pull up your last campaign.
Count the product features.
Now count the human moments.

Which number's bigger?
There's your problem.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻

From "I want chocolate" to "I want to be the person who gives."

That's not advertising.
That's anthropology with a marketing budget.

P.S. Which brand makes you feel something?

♻️ REPOST if humanity beats algorithms

The Borden Group

At The Borden Group, our purpose is to transform businesses and executives by increasing their reach, impact, and brand marketing effectiveness, turning their brands into a powerful channel for achieving growth and fulfilling their mission.

Founder & CEO

Stealth Startup

Co-Founder 

YOUnifiedAI

YOUnifiedAI helps small to medium-sized enterprises turn disconnected tools and scattered data into one intelligent system, powered by AI. We eliminate complexity, so businesses can work smarter, move faster, and grow without limits.

Advisor

House of Lola

Founder

Forbes Agency Council

Member

Dealer Marketing Magazine

Dealer Expert Panel

Matador.ai

Advisory Board Member

LotLinx, Inc.

Vice President of Marketing

Celebrity Motor Cars, LLC

Marketing Operations Manager

Netsertive

Regional Sales Manager

Visibility isn’t luck — it’s strategy.
I build visible leaders and trusted brands that drive credibility, opportunity, and growth.

Hi, I’m Melanie. 

Not too long ago, everyone around me was losing their job, and I didn’t know where I’d turn if I lost mine.

So, I turned online. I started building my personal brand, opportunities, and business from the ground up.

I’d spent years creating marketing strategies for tech companies, retail brands, and high-growth startups, so I leveraged those same frameworks to build my own.

It worked.
I grew my visibility, reach, and revenue — and discovered that building an executive brand isn’t about vanity. It’s about strategic visibility — becoming the obvious choice in rooms that matter..

Since then, I’ve partnered with executives, founders, nonprofits, and leadership teams across industries — from emerging tech to investor-backed enterprises — to build executive visibility systems that generate measurable business outcomes.

What we do at The Borden Group goes beyond ghostwriting or positioning.
It’s a full-scale visibility and go-to-market strategy — grounded in lived experience — that combines strategy, creative, and execution.

We partner best with teams ready to move fast, stay consistent, and translate brand presence into pipeline results.

Our work helps leaders and organizations:

Sell out conferences and speaking engagements
Build new sales pipelines and accelerate go-to-market traction
Skyrocket executive visibility across tech and business media
Land board seats and advisory roles
Launch books that open doors to thought leadership and revenue
Scale internal marketing systems and content operations
Create new revenue streams aligned with business growth

If you’re a founder, operator, or investor ready to grow your company and your credibility, you’re in the right place.

My upcoming book, Theatre of the Mind, is a playbook for leaders navigating mindset, visibility, and influence.
→ Available for pre-order November 1, 2025.

Connect with me here or at www.humantobrand.com

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: humantobrand.com/newsletter

Gain actionable insights to elevate your personal brand, amplify influence, and future-proof your leadership impact.

Melanie Borden

I was more afraid of layoffs than getting sick
But, I found my power (and my crown).

I felt powerless in my career in 2020.
I was at the mercy of the industry, bottom lines, and HR.
My career destiny was out of my control.
My family (and my bills) needed me.

I decided I would take control back.
I fought by taking control of my online presence. 

Of course, I had a lot to learn.
So, I made mistakes.
Over several months, I learned by fire.
And, I learned from every mistake.

Soon, it started to work.
But, I didn’t realize how well until one day in 2021.

Someone in my network DM’d me.
He invited me in for a meeting.
An agency owner. Full service, well-respected.
This man was very welcoming and overly complimentary. 

Something was different here.

He wanted ME to run his agency.
He wanted ME to be the face of his business.
He told me, “Melanie, you are a Kingmaker.”

Queen Bee? Maybe. A little. 
But Kingmaker?

He wasn’t interviewing me.
He was pitching me.
The power had shifted.
I’d been scared and felt powerless, but now powerful.

It was then I started to feel it…
the weight of my own crown.

My online presence created value. This man noticed.

He was right, my skills and engagement through this platform created opportunities to elevate others.

He didn’t intend to, but he helped me realize something:
I could build my own business instead of growing his.

Everything changed that day. 
I was wearing my own crown.
It’s a crown I work to earn every day.
And I found it on LinkedIn.

You don’t have to be powerless.
You don’t have to be at the mercy of recruiters, headhunters, and HR.

I help executives take control of their futures using the power of their presence…& you can do it faster than I did.

4+ years later of working for myself, you get the benefit of learning from my mistakes.

There is a crown waiting on you too.
Do you want to learn how to grab it? 👑

Visibility is the new credibility | Executive Brand & AI Visibility Strategy | GTM Advisor | Author, Theatre of the Mind, coming 11/2025 | Founder @ The Borden Group

Selfie of Melanie Borden sharing how building her LinkedIn presence during 2020 layoffs shifted her career power and led to launching her own business.

I’ve built my personal brand online for over five years, and here’s what most people get wrong when asking their company to support their online growth.

(Save this post for later)

What was true five years ago has improved slightly, but many companies still hesitate:
 a) “It’s a waste of time.”
 b) “It’s a distraction.”
 c) “Personal brands aren’t a thing.”
 d) “Only the CEO can be visible.”
 e) "Marketing handles this."

Your result? No support. Resentment. Frustration.

2025: People buy from people, and investors, clients, and talent read leadership visibility as proof of trust, culture, and market signal.

 • POV-led content shortens cycles by building trust pre-call.
 • Top candidates follow credible leaders more than career pages.
 • Visible operators de-risk execution, prove distribution, and lower CAC.

When your team isn’t visible, your company loses out.

So you need three things on point to win this conversation:

1. Build the business case
Demonstrate how presence drives qualified inbound traffic and brand trust. Tie to KPIs (credibility, recruiting, pipeline). Cite competitors

2. Systemize the process
Make visibility an operating rhythm: → Weekly: share and engage → Monthly: analyze and refine → Quarterly: evolve positioning → Annually: expand channels

3. Translate visibility into value
Boards, CEOs, and investors all move on data. Track reach, recruiting, and relationships. Present visibility as a measurable business function, not a marketing budget line item.

Do this, and you stop defending yourself; you become a strategic advantage that compounds brand equity for both you and the company. Win/Win.

If a top candidate or investor were to check your and your leaders’ LinkedIn profiles today, would you be proud or nervous?

P.S. Post the selfie!
P.P.S. You need a strategy for this to work. 2026 budgets are being set now; link at the top of this post to schedule a call with me.

Visibility is the new credibility | Executive Brand & AI Visibility Strategy | GTM Advisor | Author, Theatre of the Mind | Founder @ The Borden Group

A modern open office scene with diverse professionals collaborating around laptops. On one screen, a LinkedIn post draft is visible with the text “Share your expertise with the world.” The image symbolizes trust, leadership visibility, and company culture that empowers employees to build their personal brands. This represents Melanie Borden’s philosophy that visibility is the new credibility — and that companies grow faster when they endorse employee voices instead of silencing them. Keywords: employee advocacy, leadership visibility, company culture, personal brand strategy, executive communication, The Borden Group, Melanie Borden.

I have one rule when the odds are against me and I have used it to build my career.

I was not the girl who thought, “I want to be an entrepreneur when I grow up.”

I wanted to be an artist.

I was classically trained from a young age. 
 
Though in school,  I was not a great student.

Straight C’s and D’s.

Except art class. Always an A.

My guidance counselor told me in my first month of junior year that no college would ever take me based on my grades.

“You will never be taken seriously.”
“It’s a long shot if you want to go to county.”
“You’ll still be working as a waitress the rest of your life.”

I was crushed at first.

A few months later, after the motivational pep talk, I was accepted to FIT for early admission based on my portfolio.

One of the first in my high school class to be accepted at a college.

When I was 16, I saw that not everyone advances by following the map. Many get there by drawing their own.

If no one’s done it yet, that’s not a warning sign — it’s white space.

Instead of listening, I decided to prove them wrong because they were. 

My self-belief was stronger than their doubts.

You don’t rise by convincing people to believe in you; that happens by doing the work that makes them notice.

Keep building, keep showing proof, keep going even when you have to clap for yourself. 

One day, the same people who doubted you will quote your story as their inspiration.

Radio City Music Hall, 
FIT Graduation 2004

No alternative text description for this image

My new Chief Happiness Officer is settling in nicely in her new role.

Stress levels are down, my book is almost ready for you, and joy has officially been reinstated at HQ. 

We have been busy at an “offsite training” lately.  

Who else has a CHO running their life these days?

P.S. Nothing is better than dog content.

Melanie Borden’s new Chief Happiness Officer — her dog — sits happily at home during an ‘offsite training.’ The image represents balance, joy, and leadership behind the brand. A lighthearted moment tied to themes of Personal Brand Strategy, Leadership Visibility, and Reinvention — showing the human side behind executive success.alternative text description for this image

Have you ever felt everyone’s eyes on your next move? 

And wondered if one wrong post might suddenly change how you are seen?  

When this type of attention starts to build, your brain flags it as a threat and defaults to fight/flight/freeze.

Your brain is designed to protect you and hijacks your thoughts to avoid telling you the truth, aka an “amygdala hijack."

As a result, your nervous system reacts the same way to a predator as it does to publishing a post.

I mapped out this pattern while researching for my book; it keeps us at the edge of “publish” on LinkedIn.

I call it the Visibility Ceiling. 

It's a cycle documented in psychological literature, ranging from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy’s models of anxiety, to Brené Brown’s research on shame and vulnerability, and Steven Pressfield’s work on creative resistance.

You feel it here:

→ Over-editing until the window closes
→ Delaying posting until “perfect timing” appears
→ Shining on stage, but going silent online 
→ Second-guessing what you already know
→Thinking you look and sound cringe

If you feel or felt this, welcome to the club! Most of us do. 

Instead, try this to break the cycle:

	1.	Share before it’s perfect. Post when it’s 70% ready, not 100%. Figure out the rest in real time. 

	2.	Tie every post to an outcome for yourself, and now you are building your KPIs. (ie, Pipeline, visibility, recruiting, etc).

	3.	Reset yourself before you publish. Take a big, deep breath to remind yourself: you are not in danger, it’s growth!

Do this weekly, and small signals will turn into trust and then into opportunities over time.

Just remember: visibility IS leadership in 2025.

Use your presence so the right people can find you for what's next. 

How do you continue to show up despite not feeling 100% ready?

Melanie Borden photographed in a poised, thoughtful stance—illustrating the courage it takes to show up and lead visibly onlineo alternative text description for this image

Most people tell me they don’t show up online for one reason: fear of judgement.

This week, Kim Kardashian launched a “faux hair” panty line “The Ultimate Bush Collection” and it sold out.

What does that have to do with executive presence? Everything.

1) Judgment is expensive.
Most don’t post because they optimize for approval, not outcomes.
Kardashian optimizes for outcomes (waitlists, awareness, sales) and then manages backlash. While you are battling what someone is going to say to you from the post, someone has already posted it. You can do a lighter version: post the idea, then manage the risk later if needed.

2) Own it or be owned.
She launched with a loud, unmistakable positioning that forced everyone to talk in her language. You don’t need shock value to do this. A clear POV in your messaging will do so critics can react inside your story, not outside it.

3) Measure the intent, not the applause.
SKIMS outcome wasn’t likes, it was stock-outs and waitlists. On LinkedIn, track saves, sends, DMs, replies, and meetings, not just impressions.

You don’t lose opportunities by being clear. 
They lose them by being invisible. 

Stop thinking about the person you worked with 15 years ago or the board member who will never approve. They are not thinking of you when making decisions for their careers.

If you’re optimizing your personal brand for approval, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.  

The ones who do this well don’t ask, “Will everyone approve?”
They ask, “Does this move our mission and get us closer to XYZ?”

Are you publishing for safety or impact?
What do you think?

Kim Kardashian’s bold product launch used as a leadership case study on executive presence by Melanie Borden, illustrating how owning the narrative, measuring intent, and prioritizing outcomes over approval define modern personal brand strategy.

Visibility didn’t feel like growth to me. It felt like danger.

Right before I hit “publish” on LinkedIn, my heart would pound, and I’d think, “Not yet.”

Nothing was wrong, except my nervous system thought there was. 

It's called an amygdala hijack. Online attention can register in your head as a threat. 

Your body's reaction is why posting can feel like a freak out…even when you know it’s the right move.

You can’t out think your way out of this either. 

You have to do the opposite. 

Here are a few steps to do that:

Step 1. Stop overthinking; focus on one step.
↳ NO ONE is thinking about you or your content as much as you are. [sry not sry]

Step 2. Think about that one person you are serving.
↳ Likes distort scale. 20 people online might not seem like much, but 20 people in a room? That’s 20 people.

Step 3. Share your process, not just the wins.
↳ The good, the bad, and the ugly = really helpful. 

↓

Always: Post with purpose.
↳ Tie each post to a real goal of yours. 

Always: Sync up your inner script to match your outer message
↳ If you don’t believe it, neither will your market. Know it!! 

Absolutely always: Limit conversations with those who don't “get it”
↳ You want advice from those who will lift you up, not bring you down. 

Every single post is proof that nothing really bad happens when you show up. 🖤🧠

What’s your “publish anyway” ritual?

Selfie of Melanie sitting in her car, looking calm and reflective before posting on LinkedIn. The image represents confidence, composure, and the inner work behind executive visibility and personal brand strategy—choosing to show up even when it feels uncomfortable.

Visibility isn't about being seen. It's about showing what's real.

That's what authority in public looks like: showing the process, measuring the effect, and tying it back to the business.

Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Citi, Jane Fraser, just reminded everyone this week what that looks like, using her platform to show progress.

It's why the most credible executives treat visibility as part of their operating system; not just "PR"

This week's Executive Visibility Brief breaks down how leaders across industries are proving what they lead, not just what they say, and a simple loop you can use to turn content into credibility.

Let me know what you think... save and share with those who need it!

View newsletter: Executive Visibility Brief

Every issue: one headline, one lesson, one tool you can use now to strengthen your visibility. Headline of the Week Jane Fraser and the Proof of Visib

Open article: Authority in Public by Melanie Borden • 3 min read

In LinkedIn’s Trust Era, visible leaders don’t just manage teams, they lead in public.

Trust is now built in the feed, through verified identity and proof in public, not just titles alone.

Verification, people-led posts, and intent metrics (Saves & Sends) compound trust.

This is personal brand strategy and leadership visibility in action.
 
♻️  If you enjoyed this newsletter, please comment and share it with your network!

Every week: one headline, one lesson, one tool you can use now to strengthen your visibility. New this week: Voices from the Field—practical notes fro

Open article: The Executive Visibility Brief | LinkedIn’s Trust Era by Melanie Borden • 4 min read

The Executive Visibility Brief | LinkedIn’s Trust Era

Reinvention starts in your head.
That’s personal brand strategy and leadership visibility step one.

It begins with: how you think about yourself, what you believe you deserve, and the risks you’re willing to take in public.

I have experienced it myself, studied this topic for a year and a half while writing my book, and have had hundreds of conversations about this topic over the last 4+ years. 

When you pair upgraded thinking with action, and hold the result as “already in motion,” your imagination sets the stage for what’s next.

Change the internal script → change the external results.

Here’s how to finish your list:

Step two. Choose 5–10 creators operating at the visibility level you want. This is your peer map. (Pick people your ICP already follows)

Step three.  Study their patterns: topics, cadence, tone, and what they do online. Pay attention to their stories, CTAs, comment style, and speaking engagements.

Step four. Operate side by side (phased plan): P1: daily, insight-rich comments. P2: post 2×/week on LinkedIn. P3: publish a monthly Newsletter. P4: secure a quarterly podcast guest spot. 

Upgrade your thinking → behavior follows → outcomes catch up.

Save this as your (Peer Map) checklist and feel free to share with someone who needs it. 

What line in your internal script needs a rewrite before you step into your next act?

Bold white text over a blurred portrait background reads: “It starts in your mind. We are what we think. Think it. Become it.” The design conveys the message of Theatre of the Mind that reinvention, personal brand strategy, and leadership visibility begin with mindset. It symbolizes how thought patterns shape action and identity in both life and business. It conveys the power of thought, imagination, and self-belief as the foundation for growth, confidence, and visible leadership. The visual reinforces the idea that personal brand transformation happens first in mindset, then in motion, and finally in public.

I won a six-figure contract with a client I would’ve once valued at $0.

The difference wasn’t luck; it was process.

What changed? Two simple moves:
1. I added a pre-call questionnaire to my calendar.
2. I booked the next meeting with the client before we hung up.

I took calls with people who weren’t ready…

→They were either curious, exploring, or unclear on what they needed. 
→ I spent the call teaching instead of qualifying.
→ I wanted to be helpful, not “salesy.”
→ I left with no next step, no meeting, no contract.

So I studied what high-performing founders and consultants do…how they protect time and build predictable pipelines and customized it.

1️⃣ Now, every prospect completes a short form before we speak:

1. What best describes you? → ICP fit 
2. Where are you in your journey? → Buying stage
3. What type of project are you looking for? → Problem/solution intent 
4. Anything else you’d like to share? → Context/objections
5. How did you hear about us? → Channel attribution 

2️⃣ I don't hesitate to ask for what I want. 

Selling is helping. Not showing how you can help is a disservice. 
If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

Structure builds confidence for you and the client.
Define the process, and you influence the outcome.🤍
- 
Save this post for later to work into your own system. 

Click the three ... on the top right corner of this post.

Most leaders say they want to build trust online.
Few are willing to prove they’re real.

Tinder announced today that every new U.S. user will soon have to complete a face scan before swiping...a bold move to rebuild trust, kill spam, and stop banned users from sneaking back in.

On paper, it’s a product update.
In practice, it’s a masterclass in executive presence.

Here’s why: 

1) They didn’t wait for a "crisis" to act.
They named the uncomfortable truth out loud.
Their lead of Trust & Safety at Match Group, said plainly: “We want people to come to Tinder knowing you can trust every profile you see, but it’s a long road to get there.”

2) They prioritized long-term credibility over short-term metrics.
They admitted this rollout could hurt growth. Some accounts will get removed.
But the company’s betting on trust as the ultimate retention strategy.
That’s what leadership looks like when you trade clicks for credibility.

3) They reframed verification as empowerment.
 This isn’t about control, it’s about confidence.
 When exposure to scams dropped 60% in test markets, they didn’t boast.
 They doubled down.
 Presence is measured in results, not theory.

4) They showed up in a hard conversation.
Privacy. AI. Data. Bias.
Most execs dodge that dialogue.
Match Group’s leaders leaned in, explained the “why,” owned the trade-offs, and stayed visible in the debate.
That’s executive presence.

Trust is built by leaders who are willing to verify themselves; in public and in principle.

If your next business move risked short-term growth but built long-term trust... would you still make it?

Smartphone displaying Tinder “Face Check” verification screen with “Verify your profile” and an illustration of a user recording a short selfie video. It reflects Melanie Borden’s perspective on executive presence. The post image Symbolizes executive presence, leadership visibility, and personal brand strategy in action: trust & safety, authenticity, online integrity, and digital credibility as a visibility strategy—not PR spin but proof.

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The Battle

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